Morbid obesity remains an ever-growing problem in the world. Varying forms of gastric bypass surgery have developed and have improved over the last few decades. Recently, laparoscopic gastric banding has emerged as a less invasive surgical option. However, bariatric surgery is fraught with morbidity of up to 20%, with a re-operation rate approaching 25% at 3-5 years post-op. Bariatric surgery carries an operative mortality of 0.5%. Diet and pharmaceutical alternatives have not been very effective, with a high recidivism rate. Intragastric balloons in use can achieve weight loss and a drop in BMI. However, balloon deflation can result in unwarranted migration leading to obstruction.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,430,894 and 8,430,895 describe balloon systems having a balloon coupled to a gastrointestinal anchor that is configurable to prevent passing of the anchor into a duodenum of a subject. These balloon systems also each describe a stretchable inflation tube that can stretch from a stomach to a mouth of the subject, about 2.5-10 times its length, to facilitate inflation or adjustment of volume of the balloon. The inflation tube is partly inside and partly outside of the balloon. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0142731 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,403,952 describe a floating anchor that can be used, for example, with a gastrointestinal balloon. However, further improvements can be made to limit side effects from implantable devices including, but not limited to, tissue trauma, difficulty finding the tube, and difficulty grasping the tube, some of which may result of components of the devices that are located on the outside of the gastrointestinal balloon.
Intragastric balloons still need to be improved upon with respect to adaptation to the body, monitoring, adjustment, and removal.